Shohei Ohtani's Two-Homer Postseason Debut Powers Dodgers to Game 1 Win

Shohei Ohtani powered the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 10-5 Game 1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, hitting two home runs and helping his team move one win away from the NLDS. Ohtani set the tone early, opening the bottom of the first inning with a laser home run off Hunter Greene's 100-mph fastball. He struck again in the sixth inning with a 454-foot moon shot off Connor Phillips, extending the Dodgers' lead to 8-0 amidst "M-V-P" chants. Manager Dave Roberts praised Ohtani's elevated postseason focus and at-bat quality, stating, "His focus gets more keen, and the at-bat quality is better. That’s a reason why he signed to be with this ball club, this organization, to play in games like this, to showcase his otherworldly talent. I expect really fun things this postseason out of Shohei.” While Ohtani struck out in his other three at-bats, his two blasts contributed to the Dodgers' five home runs, tying a single-game playoff record.